Media Asset Capital » Recommended reading list

The art of doing work that matters

Adrian Scott — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:48:09 +0000

I don’t subscribe to many non-media-industry blogs. There just isn’t enough time in the day! However I make an exception for one or two, and that includes Seth Godin. I like Seth’s stuff because it’s short and pithy and I can read each one in 30 seconds…but I usually end up thinking about it for a lot longer than that.

This one has a lot to say about the “not enough time in the day” issue…and makes the point that you must make time for the important stuff, including your own stuff (all work and no play, etc.) It also speaks loudly to people like me and my colleagues, who don’t go into a big office every day but work on the road or from home. The pleasure and pain of being a consultant!

Here’s Seth’s piece:

“The first rule of doing work that matters

Go to work on a regular basis.

Art is hard. Selling is hard. Writing is hard. Making a difference is hard.

When you’re doing hard work, getting rejected, failing, working it out–this is a dumb time to make a situational decision about whether it’s time for a nap or a day off or a coffee break.

Zig taught me this twenty years ago. Make your schedule before you start. Don’t allow setbacks or blocks or anxiety to push you to say, “hey, maybe I should check my email for a while, or you know, I could use a nap.” If you do that, the lizard brain is quickly trained to use that escape hatch again and again.

Isaac Asimov wrote and published 400 (!) books using this technique.

The first five years of my solo business, when the struggle seemed neverending, I never missed a day, never took a nap. (I also committed to ending the day at a certain time and not working on the weekends. It cuts both ways.)

In short: show up.”

I you like this, you can sign up for Seth’s blog here

Introduction to SNG and ENG microwave, Jonathan Higgins

Graham Sharp — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:35:51 +0000

The definitive work on SNG and ENG Broadcasting – a must read for those of you in this field.

Inbound Marketing, Brian Halligan & Dharmesh Shah

Graham Sharp — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:17:58 +0000

Great book on getting found using Google, Social Media and Blogs. Another must read for all entrepreneurs.

Useful fact book

Graham Sharp — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:07:55 +0000

Today it’s all about digital content for the whole universe – a world where the knowledge and skills of the traditional ‘broadcasting’ community has cemented a fruitful union with the new wave of ‘all media’ IT-based professionals. The result is a truly converged digital world – which is why this edition has ‘converged media’ as its subheading.

Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance? Lou Gerstner

Graham Sharp — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:38:09 +0000

Tells the story of the miraculous change in fortune at IBM in the 90’s when the management team realised they were getting commoditised off the planet and had to change the game. They created IBM Global Services and the rest is history.

A must read for any Manufacturer in the Broadcast and Media Industry – it’s happening guys!

The Long Tail, Chris Anderson

Graham Sharp — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:04:16 +0000

A great book that uses the history of what happened to the Music Industry to illustrate why the future of business is selling less of more.

A great indication of what will happen to the Broadcast and Media industry.

Dilberts thoughts on project management

Graham Sharp — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:10:50 +0000